Valve responds to hacking of Steam database

Valve responds to hacking of Steam database
Confirming reports over the past few days, Valve has responded that the Steam databased was indeed hacked, with personal information stolen.

The Steam forums have been down for days, but many speculated that is how far the hacking went.



Private data like usernames, encrypted passwords and addresses were taken, says Valve.

The company says credit card data should be safe, but will not guarantee it.

Reads the press release:

Dear Steam Users and Steam Forum Users,

Our Steam forums were defaced on the evening of Sunday, November 6. We began investigating and found that the intrusion goes beyond the Steam forums.

We learned that intruders obtained access to a Steam database in addition to the forums. This database contained information including user names, hashed and salted passwords, game purchases, email addresses, billing addresses and encrypted credit card information. We do not have evidence that encrypted credit card numbers or personally identifying information were taken by the intruders, or that the protection on credit card numbers or passwords was cracked. We are still investigating.

We don?t have evidence of credit card misuse at this time. Nonetheless you should watch your credit card activity and statements closely.

While we only know of a few forum accounts that have been compromised, all forum users will be required to change their passwords the next time they login. If you have used your Steam forum password on other accounts you should change those passwords as well.

We do not know of any compromised Steam accounts, so we are not planning to force a change of Steam account passwords (which are separate from forum passwords). However, it wouldn't be a bad idea to change that as well, especially if it is the same as your Steam forum account password.

We will reopen the forums as soon as we can.

I am truly sorry this happened, and I apologize for the inconvenience.


Written by: Andre Yoskowitz @ 11 Nov 2011 0:13
Tags
Steam hacking Valve Forums
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  • 8 comments
  • TBandit

    Looks like its about time to just use pre-paid cards rather than risk getting your information taken...

    11.11.2011 13:34 #1

  • Mysttic

    Quote:Looks like its about time to just use pre-paid cards rather than risk getting your information taken... It's always been that time. Who ever once stated it's 100% secure to use your CC online. People do it because it's convenient, then whine when this kind of thing happens. (Not saying you are).

    11.11.2011 13:48 #2

  • LordRuss

    About time they got hit... Other than information to put a game on my computer I have nothing to do with Steam/Valve. Jerk weeds never did fix my issues with the their overlord software installer as it was, but it's a damn shame that folks have their information once again go to the winds of the thieves.

    Frankly, the identity theft crap is getting boring. Maybe if the thieves were publicly thwarted we could actually bring life back to this mythical creature called justice again.

    I don't know, electrical shock to the testicles of the thieves & each victim gets a turn pressing the button? You know, the voltage used on test subjects, but just a little higher...

    http://onlyinrussellsworld.blogspot.com

    12.11.2011 11:17 #3

  • xtago

    Originally posted by TBandit: Looks like its about time to just use pre-paid cards rather than risk getting your information taken... Um, and how do you do that when steam doesn't have pre paid cards.

    13.11.2011 13:43 #4

  • palwill

    Originally posted by LordRuss:
    I don't know, electrical shock to the testicles of the thieves & each victim gets a turn pressing the button? You know, the voltage used on test subjects, but just a little higher...
    there may be a market for this.

    13.11.2011 16:14 #5

  • LordRuss

    Originally posted by palwill: there may be a market for this. Make it a game show... Folks that got ripped off spin a wheel & that sets the voltage & a cash back prize amount. If the little bastard doesn't pass out that contestant gets to moves on to the next round & a new individual involved in the sale of everyone's bank accounts gets hooked up to the nut-o-rama. All the banks & beer advertising for the show alone would be clambering to beat hell at this opportunity. Then make it really cheap Pay-Per-View event... like $5 bucks for the televised portion. Something anyone could afford. Also put it all on the web... Live chat rooms for $2 buck a chat line all night long. Pays for itself inside an hour. Then throw the culprits in jail & let them rot with ice bags on their nuts for several years.

    I have reason to believe they'll think twice (or at least flinch) before typing into a keyboard looking for for someone else's information again.

    http://onlyinrussellsworld.blogspot.com

    13.11.2011 16:29 #6

  • IguanaC64

    There are pre-paid CC's you can use, but they're annoyingly expensive unless you dump your whole paycheck into them.

    14.11.2011 12:51 #7

  • palwill

    Originally posted by LordRuss: Originally posted by palwill: there may be a market for this. Make it a game show... Folks that got ripped off spin a wheel & that sets the voltage & a cash back prize amount. If the little bastard doesn't pass out that contestant gets to moves on to the next round & a new individual involved in the sale of everyone's bank accounts gets hooked up to the nut-o-rama. All the banks & beer advertising for the show alone would be clambering to beat hell at this opportunity. Then make it really cheap Pay-Per-View event... like $5 bucks for the televised portion. Something anyone could afford. Also put it all on the web... Live chat rooms for $2 buck a chat line all night long. Pays for itself inside an hour. Then throw the culprits in jail & let them rot with ice bags on their nuts for several years.

    I have reason to believe they'll think twice (or at least flinch) before typing into a keyboard looking for for someone else's information again.
    im really thinking hard on a clever name.

    14.11.2011 18:49 #8

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